Refrigerated showcase



Jan. 7, 1930. K. A. WEBER REFRIGERATED saowcisz Filed my 28. 1926 :jnucnhnl 1 azmmagm as it lmzm d p 9 Figure 3 isa. central sectional side eleva- Fatented Jan. .7, 1930 UNITED. STATES PATENT tori-Ice 7' KARL ALBERT LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO SHOW- CASE & FIXTURE"OOMPANY, OF LOS-ANGELES, CALIFOBNIA,,A CORPORATION 01' CALIFORNIA.

REFBIGERATED .sriowca'sn Application filed July 28,1926. serial no. 125,392;

This invention relates to refrigerated showcases and is more particularly directed to a refrigerated showcase within which means are provided for automatically maintaining a substantially uniform temperature throughout the case. I Many types of refrigerated showcases have heretofore been designed and construct:

ed, which showcases have for the most part depended upon the air circulation in the showcase for the maintenance of a uniform temperature throughout the volume of the interior of the showcase.

This invention-has for its principal. ob-

ject the provision of a showcase in which means are provided for circulating by ravity a cooling medium throughout the s owcase so as to maintain a substantially uniform temperature within the showcase.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for automatically circulating the cooling medium in the showcase, which means also provide a sup-port for the trays or shelves within the showcase.

Another object of this invention is to provi de a showcase in which means are provided for automatically maintaining a substantially uniform temperature throughout the interior of the showcase and which means require a minimum spacearid are designed to fit within the show case .without substantially limiting the visibility of theart-icles on; dis

case embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional end elevation thereof, taken substantially. on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

to carry the. articles desired to be displayed Figure 1 is an isometric view of the show- 'tion thereof taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figurel.

Figure 4 is a fragmental sectional front elevation, taken substantially on the line H of Figure 3, illustratingthe cooling medium container. L- Figure 5 is a top plan view of the cooling medium container illustrating the same .as connecting with a plurality of circulation return pipes with the cover of the container removed.

.In the preferred embodiment of this inventlon, illustrated in the; accompanying drawings, 1 illustrates a base which is con- .structed ,of longitudinally extending base members 2 to which a bottom plate 3. is secured in grooves 4. Insulating material, such as cork or the like, as illustrated at 5,'is

. mounted on the base plate-3 between the longitudinally extending base members 2 and is enclosed at its top by'a top plate 6 having up turned edges 7, which upturned edges are secured to mouldings 8 and 9 at the front and rear of the showcase respectively. The moulding 8 has a tongue 10 which extends into a longitudinally extending groove formed in the base members 2.. The moulding 8 may be formed of two sections as illustrated in Figure -2 of the drawings, or may be constructedof one piece. A plurality of stepdown longitudinally extending grooves 11 are formed in inclined relation at the upper edge of the moulding 8. The bottom edges" of the glass-plates 12- are fitted into these grooves 11 and secured by any suitable means. A face plate 13 is secured to the front face of the front longitudinally extending 4 member 2 to finish the appearance of the construction. Insulated sections 14 of any suitable insulating construction are secured to.

the longitudinally extending base members 2 and have a lurality of extended grooves formed therein into which the ends of the plates of lass 12 are inserted and secured.'

A moul ing 15 having a clutched edge 16 and parallel faces 17 is secured at the upper front edge of the end sections 14 and is provided with a plurality of rooves 18 formed in step relation on the inc ined faces17 into which the upper edges of the plates 12"are fitted and secured. The formation of the par 34 in open communication with the interior allel faces 17 and the mounting of the moulding 16 in the inclined position, as illustrated in Figure 2, enables me to provide a means of securing the plates of glass 12 and 19 in position with a moulding of minimum width and which restricts the visibility of the articles on display withinthe showcase to a minimum. The plates of glass 12 are held in spaced relation and the space between the alternate plates of glass is filled with air which has preferably been dried by any suitable or I desirable means, which is well understood in prise a tank 28 which is provided with a re the art, to prevent the condensation of water upon the interior faces of the plates 12 during cold weather.

The moulding 9 is secured to the rear base plate 2 and extends longitudinally throughout the length of the showcase and is provided with a stepdown surface 20 to acccmmodate doors 21 which are longitudinally supported at the rear of the showcase and which are formed of a plurality of sections of material 22 and 23 so as to limit or reduce the possibility of air leakage or air transfer into the interior of the showcase. The inner section of the door 21 is provided with insulating material 24 so as to insulate the showcase at the rear thereof. i

Posts 25 are secured to the moulding 9 and extend vertically upward therefrom and are secured 'to the upper moulding 26, I which upper moulding 26 is likewise secured to the end sections 14 at the upper rear corners thereof. The posts 25 are likewise provided with stepdown surfaces similar to the sur faces 20 so as to accommodate the section edges of the doors 21. The lower surface of the upper moulding 26 is likewise provided with such an irregular surface similarto the surface 20.

The plates of glass19 are secured at their rear edgesin grooves 27 formed in the moulding 21. The plates of glass 19 are likewise spaced apart and the spaces between the plates of glass are filled with dried air so as to prevent condensation of water upon the surfaces thereof. a y 7 3 Means are provided wholly within the showcase for maintaining a substantially uniform temperature throughout the interior of the showcase, which means preferably comlnovable cover 29. The tank 28 is filled with brine or a like solution to substantially the level indicated at 30.

Extending longitudinally from the tank 28 are return circulation pipes 31 which have flat' extending upper and lower portions 32 and substantially vertically connecting sections 33, which sections 33-are' at the outer ends near the end sections 14 of the showcase.

Thereturn circulation pipes 31 provide a cross clrculationunit and the upperisection 32 of/pipes are connected by means of flanges of the tank 28. The lower substantially extending sections 32 of the return circulation pipes 31 are also secured in open eommunication with the tank 28 at or near the lower level thereof. The upper longitudinally extending sections 32 are secured in open communica-:

tion with the tank 28 below the'brine level 30 in the said tank 28.

Brackets 35 are secured to the posts 25 in position to support the upper and lower lon itudinally extendingsections 32. Trays Or 5 elves 36 are positioned upon sections 32 of the circulation pipes 31 and provide trays upon which the articles of food, such as meat, butter or the like, may be placed for display. A grating 37 formed of slats of like material is mounted upon the base-cover plate 6 so as to support other articles of food for display.

' Means are mounted within thetank 28 for cooling the brine solutions,'which means may comprise a plurality of coils 38 which are connected with a source of liquid ammonia or the like which is expanded within the coils 38 to cool the brine solutions. Any other suitable or desirable form of cooling means may be employed in the tank 28.

A drainage pipe 39is connected in the base cover plate 26 in .open communication with the interior of'the showcase and extendsrto the rear thereof and is provided with a ,cap 40 which may be removed for the drainage of moisture which hascollected upon the sur ."face of the base plate 6. 41 and 42 illustrate outlet pipes for supplying the liquefied gas to the coils 38 and extend. outward at any suitable point through the rear of the showcase.

The brine, cooled by means of the expansion of the liquefied gas in the coils 38, circulates through the return circulation pipes 31 by gravity, due to the fact that the warmer portions of the brine solution will tend to rise to the top of the container 28 and will likewise tend to rise to the highest point in the return circulation pipes 31. The return circulation pipes 31 are very slightly inclined so as to aid this circulation. The lower section 32 thereof being slightly inclined upward from the tank28 toward the end-sections 14 and the upper section 32 thereof is slightly inclined upward from the end section 14 to the container 28. The warm brine solution which is returned through the return circulation pipes 31 to the tank 28 is cooled by the ex-' pansion of the gases within the coils 38 and tendsto flow to the bottom of the tank 38 and through the lower section of the return circulation pipes and hence through the vertical section-33 to the tank28, thereby maintaininr a complete continuous circulation of the brme solution throughout the showcase. The circulation of this brine through the plurality ofreturn coils 31 has been demonstrated to maintain a close temperature con trol and substantially uniform temperaturethroughout the showcase and to enable the showcase to be maintained at substantially freezing temperature throughout the interior thereof.

Having fully described a preferred embodipipes connected at points near the upper and, ower ends of the said container and ada ted to-convey cooling brine longitudinally o the showcase by gravity circulation and to.-s'upport dis lay trays and means within the container or cooling the brine solution, each of said pipes including vertically spaced branches connected at their outer ends by a communicating pipe and at their inner ends throu hthe container.

. 2. a refrigerated shobvcase, the combination of a container mounted centrally" of the showcase, a plurality of return circulation pipes connected at eachside of the container at points nearthe upper and lower ends thereof and adapted to convey a cooling brine lonitudinally of the showcase by gravit circuation, and means mounted within t e container for cooling the brine solution. a

3. In a refrigerated showcase, the combination of a container mounted centrally of the showcase, a plurality of return circulation pipes connected at each side of the container and connected to the container at their opposite ends at points near the u perand lower ends of the said container an providing upper and lower longitudinally extending sections,,and which return circulation pipes are adapted to convey a cooling solution lon tudinally of the showcase by avity, circu ation means mounted within t (8 container for cooling the said cooling solution, and trays tudinally extending sections of the return 01rculation pipes for supporting articles for display.

4. In a refrigerated showcase, the combination of insulated front, bottom, rear, top and end sections secured together to form the showcase, a container mounted within the Y showcase, a plurality of return. circulation 22nd day of Jul mounted upon'the upper and lower lon of said pipes including vertically spaced branches connected at their outer ends by a communicating pi throu h the-contamer, and means within the container for cooling the brine solution. I

5'. In a refrigerated'showcase, the combination of insulated front, bottom, rear, top and end sections, a container mounted within' the showcase, a lurality of return circulation pipes connecte at pointsnear the upper and ower ends of the said container and throu h which a cooling solution is adapted to be circulated, each ofsaid pipes including vertically spaced branches connected at their outer ends by a communicating pipe and at their inner ends through the container, and display trays mounted on the said return circulation pipes.

, 6. In a refrigerated shdwcase, the combi} nation of insulated front, bottom, rear, top andend sections, a container mounted within lower ends of the said container an providing vertically spaced supports and adapted to convey a cooling solution through the 'said showcase, and display trays mounted upo the upper and lower vertically spaced sud ports. p

7. In a refrigerated showcase, the combination of insulated front, bottom, rear, top and end sections, a container mounted within the showcase, means for conveying a cooling medium to the said container, a coeling solution mounted within the said container and adapted to be cooled by the said cooling medium, a

plurality of return circulation pipes connected at points near the upper and lower ends of v the sald container and adapted to conve the said cooling solution longitudinally o the showcase and to return the said cooling 'solution to the said container, each of said pipes including, vertically s aced branches connect,-

and at their inner ends the showcase, a plurality of return circulation pipes connected at points near the u per anded at their outer en 5 by a communicating pipe and at their inner ends through the contamer, and a plurality of display trays mounted upon the said return circulation pi Signed at Los Angeles, California, this L= ALBERT WEBER.

lower display trays, each 

